The
CampanianCampanian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the fifth of six
ages of the Late
CretaceousCretaceous epoch (or, in chronostratigraphy: the
fifth of six stages in the Upper
CretaceousCretaceous series). The Campanian
spans the time from 83.6 ± 0.7 Ma to 72.1 ± 0.6
Ma (million years ago). It is preceded by the
SantonianSantonian and it is
followed by the Maastrichtian.[2]
The
CampanianCampanian was an age when a worldwide sea level rise drowned many
coastal areas. The morphology of some of these areas has been
preserved as an unconformity beneath a cover of marine sedimentary
rocks.[3][4]

Stratigraphic definition[edit]
The
CampanianCampanian was introduced in scientific literature by Henri Coquand
in 1857. It is named after the French village of Champagne in the
département Charente-Maritime. The original type locality was an
outcrop near the village of
Aubeterre-sur-DronneAubeterre-sur-Dronne in the same region.
Due to changes of the stratigraphic definitions, this section is now
part of the
MaastrichtianMaastrichtian stage.
The base of the
CampanianCampanian stage is laid at the extinction of crinoid
species
MarsupitesMarsupites testudinarius. A
GSSPGSSP had not yet been ratified in
2009. One possible candidate is in a section near a dam at Waxahachie,
Texas.
The top of the
CampanianCampanian is defined as the place in the stratigraphic
column where the ammonite
PachydiscusPachydiscus neubergicus first appears.
Subdivision[edit]
The
CampanianCampanian is sometimes subdivided into Lower, Middle and Upper
subages. In the Tethys domain, the
CampanianCampanian encompasses six ammonite
biozones. They are, from young to old:

Paleontology[edit]
During the
CampanianCampanian age, a radiation among dinosaur species occurred.
In North America, for example, the number of known dinosaur genera
rises from 4 at the base of the
CampanianCampanian to 48 in the upper part.
This development is sometimes referred to as the "Campanian
Explosion". However, it is not yet clear if the event is artificial,
i.e. the low number of genera in the lower
CampanianCampanian can be caused by
a lower preservation chance for fossils in deposits of that age. The
generally warm climates and large continental area covered in shallow
sea during the
CampanianCampanian probably favoured the dinosaurs. In the
following
MaastrichtianMaastrichtian stage, the number of North American dinosaur
genera found is 30% less than in the upper Campanian.[5]
Animals that lived in the
CampanianCampanian include:
†Ankylosaurs[edit]

Santa Marta Formation, James Ross Island, Antarctica
A stocky ankylosaur protected by armor plates embedded in the skin.
Although a complete skeleton has not been found, the species is
estimated to have reached a maximum length of 4 meters (13 feet).
Displays characteristics of both ankylosaurids and nodosaurids.

Edmontonia

CampanianCampanian to Maastrichtian
Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta, Canada
A bulky nodosaurid at roughly 6.6 m (22 ft) long. It had
small, ridged bony plates on its back and many sharp spikes along its
body sides. The four largest spikes jutted out from the shoulders on
each side, two of which were split into subspines in some specimens.
Its skull had a pear-like shape when viewed from above.

85.8 mya
Asia
AralosaurusAralosaurus was about the size of an elephant. Although very little is
known about
AralosaurusAralosaurus (only one near complete skull has been found);
it was identified by a beak with nearly 1,000 small teeth in 30 rows.
These teeth were used for breaking up plant matter by chewing, a
feature common in herbivorous dinosaurs, but unusual for reptiles.The
back of an
AralosaurusAralosaurus skull was wide, a feature suggestive of large
jaw muscles used to power its chewing apparatus.

77-76.5 mya
Alberta, Canada
CorythosaurusCorythosaurus weighed in at 4 tonnes and measured roughly 10 metres
(33 feet) from nose to tail. Like other hadrosaurs it had a toothless
beak, the back of the jaws contained a dental battery composed of
hundreds of small, interlocking teeth. These were used to crush and
grind plant matter and were continually replaced as they wore away.

Diclonius

75 mya
Montana, USA

Edmontosaurus

73.0-76.5 mya
Canada
EdmontosaurusEdmontosaurus included some of the largest hadrosaurid species,
measuring up to 12 metres (39 feet) long and weighing around 4.0
metric tons (4.4 short tons).

Gasparinisaura

85 mya
Argentina
GasparinisauraGasparinisaura was a small bipedal herbivore. In 2010 Gregory S. Paul
estimated the length at 1.7 metres, the weight at thirteen
kilogrammes.

79.5 mya
New Jersey, USA
It was likely bipedal for the purposes of running, but could use its
forelegs to support itself while feeding.

Hypacrosaurus

75-67 mya
Alberta, Canada
HypacrosaurusHypacrosaurus is most easily distinguished from other hollow-crested
duckbills by its tall neural spines and the form of its crest. The
neural spines, which project from the top of the vertebrae, are 5 to 7
times the height of the body of their respective vertebrae in the
back,[4] which would have given it a tall back in profile. The skull's
hollow crest is like that of Corythosaurus, but is more pointed along
its top, not as tall, wider side to side, and has a small bony point
at the rear

73 mya
North America
The type specimen of
KritosaurusKritosaurus navajovius is only represented by a
partial skull and lower jaws, and associated postcranial remains.

Lambeosaurus

76-75 mya
Alberta, Canada

Lophorhothon

80 mya
Alabama, USA

Maiasaura

76.7 mya
Montana, USA
MaiasauraMaiasaura was large, attaining an adult length of about 9 metres (30
feet) and had the typical hadrosaurid flat beak and a thick nose. It
had a small, spiky crest in front of its eyes. The crest may have been
used in headbutting contests between males during the breeding season.

Mandschurosaurus

Asia

Microhadrosaurus

China

Mochlodon

Austria
A rhabdodontid.

Naashoibitosaurus

73 mya
New Mexico, USA
Naashoibitosaurus, based as it is on a single partial skeleton, is not
well known in terms of anatomy. Its skull, the most thoroughly
described portion, has a low nasal crest that peaks in front of the
eyes, but does not strongly arch as in Gryposaurus.

76-75 mya
Alberta, Canada
ProsaurolophusProsaurolophus was a large-headed duckbill; the most complete
described specimen has a skull around 0.9 meters (3.0 feet) long on a
~8.5 meter long skeleton (~28 ft).[2] It had a small, stout,
triangular crest in front of the eyes; the sides of this crest were
concave, forming depressions. The upper arm was relatively short.

Pteropelyx

Montana, USA

Rhabdodon

72 mya
France; Spain; Haţeg Island, Romania
It is unclear whether it was an iguanodont or a hypsilophodont, and
may be a "missing link" between the two. Current evidence indicates it
is an iguanodont similar to Tenontosaurus.

Saurolophus

69.5-68.5 mya
North America, Asia
SaurolophusSaurolophus is known from material including nearly complete
skeletons, giving researchers a clear picture of its bony anatomy. S.
osborni, the rarer Albertan species, was around 9.8 meters (32 feet)
long, with its skull a meter long (3.3 feet). Its weight is estimated
at 1.9 tonnes (2.1 tons). S. angustirostris, the Mongolian species,
was larger; the type skeleton is roughly 12 meters (39 feet) long, and
larger remains are reported.

Shantungosaurus

72 mya
China
It is one of the longest and largest known hadrosaurids; the composite
skeleton of a medium-sized individual mounted at the Geological
Institute of
ChinaChina in Beijing measures 14.72 metres (48.3 feet) in
length.

GeoWhen Database - Campanian
Late
CretaceousCretaceous timescale, at the website of the subcommission for
stratigraphic information of the ICS
Stratigraphic chart of the Late Cretaceous, at the website of Norges
Network of offshore records of geology and stratigraphy
CampanianCampanian Microfossils: 75+ images of Foraminifera